If you’re upgrading from Windows 7, here are just a few of the things you’ve been missing out on because the Windows 8 interface was so annoying that you didn’t upgrade:

Microsoft officially announced Windows 10’s features today, and it includes things like the Cortana digital assistant, Xbox integration, a completely new browser that isn’t Internet Explorer, and yes, holograms. But should you care? We’d argue that even without the gimmicks, Windows 10 is an amazing upgrade for all. And it’s a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.

During the announcement, which you can watch here, Microsoft spent a ton of time talking about how Cortana is integrated into the operating system, how Modern apps use the same code across desktops, tablets, phones, and even Xbox, how the new Spartan web browser lets you write on the screen to annotate the web, and the entirely new holographic interface (requires the HoloLens goggles). But most of these features are beside the point, and frankly, aren’t the reason we’d recommend that people upgrade.

First, we’ll go through and opine on all the features that they announced today, and then we’ll tell you why you should upgrade to Windows 10.

Windows 10 is a Universal Operating System Across All Devices
Windows 10 now runs the exact same operating system on your desktop, tablet, Xbox, and your phone… assuming you have a Microsoft tablet or a Windows phone. The new “Continuum” feature will let you switch Windows Store apps from desktop windows to full screen when you undock your Surface or similar device, so you are using a tablet like a tablet, and a desktop like a desktop. In the demo videos it looked a little clunky, but we’re assuming they will continue to refine it.

But is Windows 10 on mobile devices likely to make people switch from iPhone or Android? Not until the apps are a whole lot better, and even then, Google and Apple have such a huge market share lead that it could be forever, or never, until they gain real market share.

The track record on the Windows Store hasn’t been very good so far — sure, they have a ton of apps in there, but most of them are so terrible they can barely be called apps. When they do have an app from a well-known company, it’s generally a pale imitation of the Android or iPhone versions, and nowhere near as good as the iPad-optimized version of that same app. We’re certainly hoping that Microsoft announces some changes at their Build conference that will get more people making more apps for Windows, but so far we’re not holding our breath, despite it being a great platform for developers.

The one area that does seem interesting for home users is that Xbox One will soon be upgraded to Windows 10, and have access to at least a section of the Windows Store. So people will finally be able to make apps for the Xbox, which could mean some amazing things for media centers or pretty much anything you’d like to display on the TV.

This isn’t the reason that you should upgrade to Windows 10, although it helps.

Cortana Digital Assistant Works Across All Platforms, Including Your Desktop

At the Windows 10 event today, Microsoft had a lot to talk about -- not least that Windows 10 itself will be free. But Windows 10 is all about the details, and on top of the likes of Cortana and the new notification center, Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems at Microsoft, Joe Belfiore, also revealed Spartan, the web browser that will replace Internet Explorer in Windows 10.

That's not to say that Internet Explorer is dead and buried. You'll still find the famous blue e icon waiting to be clicked if you want, but Spartan will be the new default browser. So what does Spartan have to offer that will act as a lure away from Chrome and Firefox? To kick things off, there's Cortana support.In fact Cortana is not just supported, but integrated into Spartan. As you type within the web browser, the digital assistant is on the lookout for key words and phrases so it (or she if you insist) can chime in with helpful information. Think weather, directions, travel data, restaurant information and so on.

There are lots of interesting new features for users to enjoy, including page annotations. Without the need for plugins or extra software, using Spartan you can draw on a website, add comments and share them with others. OneNote syncing makes this a useful tool for research and collaboration.

The likes of Pocket and ReadItLater have proved incredibly popular in recent years, but Spartan goes one better by including a built in reader tool. This can be used to save articles to read later, and the list will be synchronized between devices, including Windows Phone handsets.

Windows 10 To Be A Free Upgrade: What Linux Users Need To Know
If you're curious about the highlights of the Microsoft Windows 10 event to see what Ubuntu Phone/Touch, Sailfish OS, Android, Tizen, and the Linux desktop in general have to compete with this year, here's the top items mentioned during the event:

- Microsoft's focus with Windows 10 is on device mobility and being able to move your working apps from one device to another, trusty/security improvements, and natural interaction via voice, gestures, pen input, etc.